Chapter 1 · the role of a nursery
Why does a nursery exist?
The first article of the guidelines answers in one powerful idea — and it places the child above everything else.
The role
It’s a child welfare facility, by law
A nursery isn’t just a place to keep children safe while parents work. Under the Child Welfare Act it’s a child welfare facility — its purpose is to care for children who need it and to protect their healthy growth in body and mind.
But here’s the key
The child’s best interest comes first
Above every decision sits one rule: the child’s best interest. When an adult’s convenience and a child’s wellbeing pull in different directions, the child comes first. Always.
In real life
Child first, then explain
A parent asks us to skip their toddler’s nap so the child sleeps earlier at night. We listen with respect — but a one-year-old who needs rest, rests. We protect the child’s wellbeing first, then explain our reasoning to the parent, kindly. That order — child first, then explain — is the job.
A common misunderstanding
“It’s just childcare while parents work.”
“My job is to watch the children safely until their parents come back.”
“My job is to actively grow each child’s body and mind, and make this the best place for them to spend their day.”
Why this matters to you
It changes how you see your room
Once you see the nursery as a place to live — not a waiting room — small things start to matter more: the light, the calm, the way you greet a child in the morning.
You’re not minding time until pick-up; you’re helping shape a childhood. That’s a heavier, prouder job than “babysitting” — and it’s the one the law actually gives you.
Your turn
A nursery should be the best possible place to live a childhood — not just a waiting room.
Does my room feel like a home worth growing up in?
Save this for the days the work feels small. It isn’t.
About Bond Japan
NPO Bond Japan
Bond Japan connects international schools so they can learn from one another and deepen a shared understanding of early childhood education and care.